When the Silence Comes
by motherofflame
Summary: Prequel to "Power is Power" Feedback is very much appreciated
1. The North

The procession was huge, and reminded her too much of when King Robert had come all those years ago. Sansa stood on the battlements of Winterfell, watching as Daenerys Targaryen's army marched towards the main gate.

A loud roaring startled her, and a black dragon flew over her, a green one followed close behind, but the green had a rider. Sansa guessed that it was Rhaenyra Targaryen, the younger sister of Daenerys Targaryen. Rhaenyra and her dragon circled again, and this time Sansa got a good look at the girl. She was beautiful, as beautiful as Baelish had rumored. Rhaenyra turned her dragon away, and flew him back over the procession of soldiers, none of them gave a passing glance to the beast.

The Northerners however, were all clamoring fearfully. Sansa sighed and headed down into the courtyard to greet her brother and his new Queen. The green dragon landed on the wall, and hopped to the ground with surprising agility for such a massive creature. He crouched to let his rider dismount. A soft word from Rhaenyra, and he leapt into the air, joining the black dragon in the skies. Rhaenyra strode over to wait with her sister as Jon approached. Sansa embraced her brother, exchanging a few polite words before Jon callled Daenerys and Rhaenyra over.

"Lady Sansa." Daenerys greeted with a smile. "The North is as beautiful as your brother has described it, as are you."

Sansa tried to keep a polite face, and not show her derision at Daenerys' seeming desperation for acceptance. "Winterfell is yours, _Your Grace_." She said stiffly.

Daenerys looked slightly taken aback, but gave a polite nod. Sansa noticed something flash through Rhaenyra's purple eyes. She was fairly sure it was irritation.

"There's no time for this now." Bran said flatly. "The Night King has your dragon, he's one of them now." Daenerys' face crumbled into utter devastation, and Rhaenyra looked as if Bran had hit her.

"_Viserion._" She breathed, voice full of sorrow, pain, and horror.

"Excuse me." Daenerys said hurriedly, brushing past them. Rhaenyra ran after her sister.


	2. The Rightful Queen

They were all trying to undermine her. Dany, the woman who had only come to save them. Rhaenyra felt white-hot anger boiling inside her, raging like a violent storm. Her sister put a hand on her arm, a clear message, telling her to stay calm. Seething, Rhaenyra kept silent. Jon was doing nothing useful, he protested but not very strongly, this only furthered her anger.  
'Do something' she thought, fuming. 'Say something, shout, command them, you are their King. Why do you let them walk all over you as if you are dirt?' He seemed to be trying to appease everyone. She took a deep breath, still furious over the disrespect.  
The Northern Lords begin clamoring again. A loud screeching roar echoed through the Great Hall. Rhaegal had sensed her rage. Rhaenyra smirked at the expression on the Lords faces, even Sansa looked alarmed. She didn't like them, either of the Stark girls, they had spurned any effort to be friends. Two could play that game, if they wanted to be stuck up she could be too. And she knew how to do it, she had played before.

Daenerys didn't like the North, it's people were unfriendly, its atmosphere foreboding. The cold got to her more than she cared to admit. And Rhaenyra had not been in a good mood since they arrived.  
And now the dragons weren't eating. Her sister accompanied her up to where they were resting.  
"They don't like the North." Dany murmured, stroking Drogon's snout.  
"They miss Viserion." Rhaenyra replied.  
Viserion. The name was like a knife in her heart. Her poor child. She had been unable to compose herself when she heard of his fate. The Night King's slave. It had taken at least an hour before she had been composed enough to meet with the Northern Lords. Rhaenyra was clearly just as upset. Her deep purple eyes were full of sorrow. The sisters embraced each other tightly.  
"It's not fair." Rhaenyra whispered. "He deserved better." Tears welled in Dany's eyes.  
"I know." Dany sniffled.  
"We're gonna kill that murdering fuck." Rhaenyra growled. Dany nodded in agreement. They were going to kill the Night King.

"Your sister doesn't like me." Dany muttered.  
"She doesn't know you." Jon replied, Dany looked up at him.  
"She doesn't have to be my friend, but I am her Queen, if she can't respect me…" I can't respect her either.  
"Speaking of sisters, where's yours?" Jon asked. "I haven't seen her since the meeting in the Great Hall."  
"She's with Rhaegal." Dany answered.  
"She seems angry." Jon told her.  
"I don't think she likes the North."

"I hate it here!" Rhaenyra snarled. " I hate the weather, I hate the terrain, I hate the darkness, and I hate the people."  
Dany listen to her sister rant. It was kind of amusing when she got this angry.  
"They make it very clear you're not welcome here, even though you only come with the biggest army in Westeros, to save their frozen asses." Rhaenyra scowled. "I cannot believe this absolute fucking disrespect!"  
Dany couldn't help it, she burst out laughing at the last remark.  
"Stupid idiots, are their brains made of snow?" Rhaenyra went on. The rage faded from her voice. " I want to go home. Please Dany, can't we go home? They'll use us, and then they'll discard us, we have no obligation to die for them."  
"We promised to fight for the North, we're going to keep that promise."  
"Be careful about who you trust, they do not deserve you." Rhaenyra replied quietly. The words echoed through Daenerys' mind for a long time. Rhaenyra had a point. There was no guarantee that the North would follow them, even though they were there to fight for the North.  
Sansa heaved a deep sigh of annoyance. The green dragon was sitting in the courtyard. Annoyed Sansa went to find Rhaenyra. She found the younger girl standing on the battlements. Looking out over the North.  
"Princess Rhaenyra." Sansa said.  
Rhaenyra turned to look at her.  
"Your Dragon is sitting in the courtyard." Sansa said stiffly.  
"So?" Rhaenyra asked.  
"What are you going to do about it?" Sansa demanded.  
"Well, has he eaten anyone?" Rhaenyra's tone suggested that she would not have been terribly upset if he had.  
"No."  
The girl muttered something in a foreign tongue.  
"So, what exactly is the problem?" She finally asked.  
"He's scaring people." Sansa hissed through gritted teeth.  
Rhaenyra looked amused. "I see."  
She turned and headed down into the courtyard. She was speaking in the foreign language again, but her tone sounded praising.


	3. My Fire Never Goes Out

The Kingslayer stood before them in the Hall. Daenerys' face was a mask of ice, cold, emotionless. Rhaenyra eyed the man curiously. Of course, Cersei had betrayed them, but he had come anyway. Why?

_'He killed father.' _She thought, curiously calm. _'But father was an evil man.' _she reminded herself. _'He was the Mad King, he burned people for fun.' _She had been 7 years old when she learned the full extent of their father's crimes. Distraught, she had gone crying to Dany, blubbering over the fact that their father was so horrible.

_'Everything we've been through, mother's death, the years in exile, Dany being wed to Drogo, Viserys abusing the both of us, losing Ser Barristan and Viserion, all of this is his fault.' _A voice whispered in her mind.

She felt the fire rise up inside her, boiling her blood and igniting her heart. _'You are the cause of all my pain.' _She thought, insides twisting in fury.

_'So was your father.' _The rage subsided to a simmer, and sadness took it's place. Dany was speaking, telling the Kingslayer what Viserys had told them as children.

The tall female knight stood up. Rhaenyra tilted her head.

"You don't know me well, your Grace." The Lady-Knight began.

"But?" Daenerys asked calmly.

"But Ser Jaime is more than what you think. He saved me many times when I was his prisoner." She said. Rhaenyra shot the Lannister a curious glance.

"Do you vouch for him?" Sansa's voice grated against her nerves.

"I do."

"Then we should let him stay." Rhaenyra scowled at Sansa.

_'Still trying to undermine my sister.' _

"Very well." Daenerys said, but Rhaenyra could sense her sister's anger. Cersei's betrayal would not be taken lightly.

Daenerys found her sister reading in her chambers.

"Rhaenyra." Rhaenyra looked up.

"Dany." She greeted with a smile. Dany sighed.

"Ser Jorah has suggested that we… ease the tension with Sansa." Rhaenyra scowled.

"Lick the boots of that Northern bitch? I'd rather die!" She proclaimed. Daenerys agreed with her sister, but she had to make the alliance work.

"Nyra." Her sister sighed.

"Fine." Dany gave her an appreciative smile. Rhaenyra's expression softened.

Sansa stood next to one of her bannerman. Rhaenyra did not know his name.

"Lady Sansa, if we may have a word." Daenerys asked with a friendly smile.

The bannerman eyed them distrustingly. Rhaenyra glared at him.

"Of course, Your Grace." Sansa nodded. "Lord Royce."

Lord Royce gave them a sideways look as he left. _'You would not dare to look at me like that if Rhaegal were here.' _She thought bitterly. Turning her attention back to Sansa, Rhaenyra forced a smile.

"Lady Sansa." She said, her voice came out oddly strained, and she coughed, clearing her throat.

She was only half listening to her sister's conversation with Sansa. Through the window, she glimpsed the emerald scales of Rhaegal as he flew over the Northern Terrain.

"What about the North?" Sansa asked. "What about the fact that we promised never to bow to another Southern Ruler?" She continued. Rhaenyra turned around.

"It would seem to me, that the North needs to realize what the South is doing for it, House Stark has done nothing for House Targaryen, and yet here we are, defending the North."

Sansa looked startled.

"We are here to save the North, and so far, the North has shown nothing but ingratitude over what we have brought." Rhaenyra went on. "We are about to face an army of corpses, and you worry about the independence of the North. Are we even sure there will still be a North after this battle?" Sansa's face had gone as white as the snow that covered the terrain.

Daenerys looked slightly surprised, but did not stop her.

"No." Sansa's voice was barely audible. "No, I'm not."

Rhaenyra gave a satisfied nod, and left.

The red-headed wildling and said they until night time. Rhaenyra sighed, That meant she only had hours left to live. Everyone else was spending time with people, and Daenerys was trying to talk to Jon. So Rhaenyra went to find Rhaegal, she wanted to spend the final hours in peace with her dragon._ 'I'm going to die tonight'. _She thought, oddly detached, and there was less fear than there should have been. The snow crunched beneath her boots and her breath came out cloud of white smoke. Acceptance, or was it denial? She didn't want to die, not tonight, not in the North. No she wasn't ready to die. Rhaegal chirped a greeting when she entered the clearing with him. They were going to face the dead, the White Walkers, the Night King... _Viserion. _She didn't want to face him, because she would have to fight him. She didn't want to see those dead eyes, eyes that would shine an icy blue. She didn't want to see his rotting corpse. He would not know her anymore, would not remember all the times he rode on her shoulder with Rhaegal…

Rhaegal chirped at her, nuzzling her with his snout. The fur of her coat rippled as his hot breath swept over it.

She mounted her dragon, flying him to Winterfell. Jon had wanted her to guard Bran, but she was not going to let the Dothraki sacrifice themselves while she sat on her ass and watched. Daenerys had agreed to guard Bran.

Ser Jorah looked up as Rhaegal landed next to the battalion. Rhaenyra looked down at him, her face was unguarded, and he saw a vast array of emotions, sorrow, fear, anger, apprehension… The Horn sounded, and he knew that it was time to face the Dead Army.


	4. The War for the Dawn

The Kingslayer stood before them in the Hall. Daenerys' face was a mask of ice, cold, emotionless. Rhaenyra eyed the man curiously. Of course, Cersei had betrayed them, but he had come anyway. Why?

_'He killed father.' _She thought, curiously calm. _'But father was an evil man.' _she reminded herself. _'He was the Mad King, he burned people for fun.' _She had been 7 years old when she learned the full extent of their father's crimes. Distraught, she had gone crying to Dany, blubbering over the fact that their father was so horrible.

_'Everything we've been through, mother's death, the years in exile, Dany being wed to Drogo, Viserys abusing the both of us, losing Ser Barristan and Viserion, all of this is his fault.' _A voice whispered in her mind.

She felt the fire rise up inside her, boiling her blood and igniting her heart. _'You are the cause of all my pain.' _She thought, insides twisting in fury.

_'So was your father.' _The rage subsided to a simmer, and sadness took it's place. Dany was speaking, telling the Kingslayer what Viserys had told them as children.

The tall female knight stood up. Rhaenyra tilted her head.

"You don't know me well, your Grace." The Lady-Knight began.

"But?" Daenerys asked calmly.

"But Ser Jaime is more than what you think. He saved me many times when I was his prisoner." She said. Rhaenyra shot the Lannister a curious glance.

"Do you vouch for him?" Sansa's voice grated against her nerves.

"I do."

"Then we should let him stay." Rhaenyra scowled at Sansa.

_'Still trying to undermine my sister.' _

"Very well." Daenerys said, but Rhaenyra could sense her sister's anger. Cersei's betrayal would not be taken lightly.

Daenerys found her sister reading in her chambers.

"Rhaenyra." Rhaenyra looked up.

"Dany." She greeted with a smile. Dany sighed.

"Ser Jorah has suggested that we… ease the tension with Sansa." Rhaenyra scowled.

"Lick the boots of that Northern bitch? I'd rather die!" She proclaimed. Daenerys agreed with her sister, but she had to make the alliance work.

"Nyra." Her sister sighed.

"Fine." Dany gave her an appreciative smile. Rhaenyra's expression softened.

Sansa stood next to one of her bannerman. Rhaenyra did not know his name.

"Lady Sansa, if we may have a word." Daenerys asked with a friendly smile.

The bannerman eyed them distrustingly. Rhaenyra glared at him.

"Of course, Your Grace." Sansa nodded. "Lord Royce."

Lord Royce gave them a sideways look as he left. _'You would not dare to look at me like that if Rhaegal were here.' _She thought bitterly. Turning her attention back to Sansa, Rhaenyra forced a smile.

"Lady Sansa." She said, her voice came out oddly strained, and she coughed, clearing her throat.

She was only half listening to her sister's conversation with Sansa. Through the window, she glimpsed the emerald scales of Rhaegal as he flew over the Northern Terrain.

"What about the North?" Sansa asked. "What about the fact that we promised never to bow to another Southern Ruler?" She continued. Rhaenyra turned around.

"It would seem to me, that the North needs to realize what the South is doing for it, House Stark has done nothing for House Targaryen, and yet here we are, defending the North."

Sansa looked startled.

"We are here to save the North, and so far, the North has shown nothing but ingratitude over what we have brought." Rhaenyra went on. "We are about to face an army of corpses, and you worry about the independence of the North. Are we even sure there will still be a North after this battle?" Sansa's face had gone as white as the snow that covered the terrain.

Daenerys looked slightly surprised, but did not stop her.

"No." Sansa's voice was barely audible. "No, I'm not."

Rhaenyra gave a satisfied nod, and left.

The red-headed wildling and said they until night time. Rhaenyra sighed, That meant she only had hours left to live. Everyone else was spending time with people, and Daenerys was trying to talk to Jon. So Rhaenyra went to find Rhaegal, she wanted to spend the final hours in peace with her dragon._ 'I'm going to die tonight'. _She thought, oddly detached, and there was less fear than there should have been. The snow crunched beneath her boots and her breath came out cloud of white smoke. Acceptance, or was it denial? She didn't want to die, not tonight, not in the North. No she wasn't ready to die. Rhaegal chirped a greeting when she entered the clearing with him. They were going to face the dead, the White Walkers, the Night King... _Viserion. _She didn't want to face him, because she would have to fight him. She didn't want to see those dead eyes, eyes that would shine an icy blue. She didn't want to see his rotting corpse. He would not know her anymore, would not remember all the times he rode on her shoulder with Rhaegal…

Rhaegal chirped at her, nuzzling her with his snout. The fur of her coat rippled as his hot breath swept over it.

She mounted her dragon, flying him to Winterfell. Jon had wanted her to guard Bran, but she was not going to let the Dothraki sacrifice themselves while she sat on her ass and watched. Daenerys had agreed to guard Bran.

Ser Jorah looked up as Rhaegal landed next to the battalion. Rhaenyra looked down at him, her face was unguarded, and he saw a vast array of emotions, sorrow, fear, anger, apprehension… The Horn sounded, and he knew that it was time to face the Dead Army.


	5. Feelings of Emptiness

The green dragon wouldn't let anyone near his rider. Rhaenyra Targaryen was huddled against the dead dragon's snout, weeping. Her mount lay by her side, and growled whenever anyone tried to approach. Davos took a step closer, and halted when the green dragon raised his head and bared his teeth. Rhaenyra's breath hitched in a choked sob, and the dragon echoed her misery with a mournful cry.

His scales were cold beneath her cheek.

'_They should not be cold, Quaithe said that dragons are fire made flesh._' She thought, watching the falling snow.

'_Aye.' _The snow seemed to whisper. '_But his fire has gone out._' Rhaegal was lying beside her, and she took comfort in his presence. She knew Rhaegal was mourning too, but she couldn't seem to pry herself away from Viserion. As if losing him once had not been enough, this time _she_ had been the one to kill him.

'_It wasn't really him though.' _She told herself. '_It was just his corpse, brought back by dark magic.' _The knowledge did not make it any easier.

Rhaenyra knew Daenerys had survived because she heard Grey Worm telling his men that the Queen wished to see them.

Rhaenyra turned to Rhaegal, burying her face in his warm scales. He chirped at her. She didn't want to go out onto the battlefield. She didn't want to know who else had died, she didn't want to face that pain. She just wanted to hide behind Rhaegal's wings, and stay there until loss didn't hurt anymore, until her heart was as cold as Viserion's scales.

"Nyra…" Daenerys's voice broke through her thoughts. Rhaenyra looked up at her sister's tear streaked face. Her heart sank.

"Who?" She choked out. She didn't want to hear it, but she knew she had to.

"Jorah…" It felt as though someone had stabbed her through the heart. _No. _Daenerys knelt next to her. Rhaenyra hugged Daenerys tightly, the sisters stayed that way for some time before Daenerys turned to Viserion. She rested a hand on his snout, her breath shivered from grief.

"Goodbye sweetling." She whispered, tears streaming down her cheeks.

Drogon landed beside them. He gave a sorrowful whine as he looked at Viserion's corpse. Daenerys murmured something to him.

Drogon screeched, and flapped into the air, Rhaegal joined him. Together, the two dragons gently carried their dead brother away. Rhaenyra followed her sister over to the makeshift litter holding Jorah's body. She knelt beside him, sniffling. She heard Daenerys sob, and turned to hug her sister.

"I need to talk to you, Rhaenyra, Jon, he, he's…" Rhaenyra squeezed her sister's hand.

"We'll talk inside." She offered.

Daenerys sat down on the bed in her chambers.

"What's wrong with Jon?" Rhaenyra asked.

"He's not Ned Stark's son… He's Rhaegar's." Rhaenyra's face was pure shock.

"His real name… is Aegon Targaryen." Rhaenyra stood, pacing. Daenerys watched her. "He has the better claim."

"No." Rhaenyra said calmly. "Not anymore, his claim was forfeited when he joined the Night's Watch."

Daenerys hadn't thought of that.

"And he died." Rhaenyra continued. "He may have been brought back, but he still died, he no longer has a claim to the Throne."

"The North won't see it that way."

"Fuck the North, if they are that ungrateful for all we've just given for them, then they can all rot here." Rhaenyra snarled, voice laced with venom.

"And I'll be here, sisters protect each other, or at least try to, I failed to protect you from Drogo, but I won't fail to protect you from the North." She looked Daenerys in the eye. "I didn't have a dragon last time." She said fiercely. Daenerys thought about how afraid she had been on her wedding night. The way Rhaenyra had begged Viserys to rethink, when he had refused, she had begged he marry _her_ to Drogo instead. She had been just 12 years old. Daenerys had found her courage then.

She had to protect her baby sister. She had never told Rhaenyra how bad it had started, saying that she was just a little sore. Saying that all the horse riding was the real problem. Rhaenyra still hated Drogo not knowing the full extent. She only warmed up to him when he stopped Viserys from raping her.

When Mirri Maz Durr had killed Rhaego, Jorah had been forced to restrain Rhaenyra multiple times, afraid of what would happen if she attacked the Witch.

And, as she said, she had a dragon now.

Rhaegal had always been her dragon, after emerging from the fire, Daenerys had told Rhaenrya to choose one of the three as her own. Rhaenyra had said she would let the dragon choose, and sat down on the ground. Rhaegal had immediately flapped off of his perch to join her. They had seldom separated since. Even when Daenerys had locked them in the catacombs, Rhaenyra had visited the two for hours each day.

"Dany?" Rhaenyra's voice brought her back to the present. "What do we do now?" She asked quietly.

"We prepare to mourn for our dead."

Rhaenyra was looking off the battlements, watching Rhaegal fly.

"What was his name?" Davos Seaworth asked in his accented voice. "The dragon's?"

"Viserion." Rhaenyra said quietly.

"I'm sorry about what happened to him, lass, I know it's hard." Rhaenyra gave him a sideways glance.

She nodded, fighting back tears.

"And your dragon? What's his name?"

"Rhaegal."

"Splendid fellow." Davos said. Rhaenyra smiled, and so did Davos.

"There, now that's a fine sight, seeing you smile again." His kindness made her smile more.

"Thank you, Ser Davos, you have no idea how much I needed that." She told him.


End file.
